Surcingle for suspended milking machines



March 8, 1955 T. B. CRAWFORD ETAL 2,703,473

SURCINGLE FOR SUSPENDED MILKING MACHINES Filed Aug. 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORfi,

BY Charles C German.

HTTOR/VEYS.

March 8, 1955 T. B. CRAWFORD ET'AL SURCINGLE FOR SUSPENDED MILKING :vmcmmzzsv Filed Aug. 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS Thomas B. Crawford v BY Charles C Gonna/1 HTTORNEYS.

United States Patent SURCINGLE FOR SUSPENDED MILKING MACHINES Thomas B. Crawford, Arcadia, Calif., and Charles C. Gorman, Anderson, Ind.

Application August 26, 1953, Serial No. 376,644

2 Claims. (Cl. 54-23) This invention relates to a surcingle for suspended milking machines.

An object of the invention is the production of a simple and efficient device for suspending the milking machine during the milking operation.

Another object of the {invention is the production of an entirely new and different method of suspending the standard milking machines, which apparatus will be easy to apply and will be safe in use, both for the animal and the operator. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide a surcingle with means for manually adjusting certain parts, and which will efficiently remain in an adjusted position during the milking operation. I

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this in vention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as willbe hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in elevation of. a surcingle constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlargedfragmentary view of the surcingle, while Figure 3 is a simliar view looking at the opposite side of the surcingle.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 44, Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary viewof the surcingle, showing in elevation the hand.v lever of the surcingle, while Figure 6 is an edge view of the same.

Figure 7 is a further enlarged vertical central sectional view of the clamp for the? strap, while Figure 8 is a front view, of the same.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of the spanning rod, showing another embodiment.

Referring to the drawings in which the preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated, 1 designates a spanning rod which is usuallyunder the cow when the surcingle is in use. This rod is provided on its outer end with a hook 2 and on its inner end with a hollow head 3. Near the hollow head 3 is an integral upstanding lug 4 for the purpose hereinafter described. This rotatable hollow or tube-like head 3, Fig. 4, is mounted in a socket 5 formed on the lower end of metal plate 6. Fastened to the metal plate 6, by suitable rivets 7, is a strap 8. This strap 8, .Fig. 1, is of sufiicient'length to extend around to the clamp device 9. Formed on the strap 8 is an integral tube 10, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, through which extends a stiff coiled wire tubing 11 through which is slidably mounted a single wire 12. On the inner end of the single wire 12 is a hook 13 (Fig. 3) which extends through the upstanding lug 4. The stiff coiled wire tubing 11 insures of the accurate operation of the single wire 12. A bracket 14 is fastened at 15, 15 to the metal primary plate 6 and the coiled wire tubing 11 extends through this bracket.

The clamping device 9 comprises a casing 16 having two parallel sides 17 and an integral back 18, Figs. 7 and 8. Fixedly mounted on the back 18- is a handle 19 in which the hook 2 is adapted to be placed, Fig. 1. The strap 8 extends through the casing 9, and the pivoted jaw 20 is adapted to clampat its lower end against the strap 8. To hold the jaw 20 in the clamping position, a concentric cylinder 21 is pivotally mounted at 22 upon the sides 17 of casing 16. The cylinder 21 is operated by a handle 23. When the handle 23 is in the position shown in Figure 7, the jaw 20 will be clamping the strap 8, holding the strap in a fixed position. The jaw 20 has parallel ears 24 that are pivotally mounted at 25 on the sides of the casing 16.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the coiled wire tubing 11 extends through bracket 26 similar to the manner described for the structure in Figure 4. The single bendable wire 12 is hooked at 27 through the hand lever 28, which lever 28 is pivotally mounted on bolt 29 carried by plate 30. Plate 30 is attached to strap 8 by rivets 31. Between the plate 30 and the hand lever 28 is a yieldable spacer 32 that is held in place on the lever by means of a rivet 33.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the head 3a is solid on the spanning rod 1a. This rod may be substituted when desired for the rod having the hol- 10W head 3 shown in Figure 1.

When the surcingle has all of its cooperating parts in an assembled position, as shown in Figure 1, the strap 8 is placed over the cows back, the operator squeezes lever 28 which causes the surcingle spanning rod to raise up to a position where it is very easy for him to attach the hook 2 into link 19. When releasing the device after the milking is completed, it is very easy to unhook the hook from the link from a standing position.

The bracket 26 is fastened to plate 30 by means of bolts 34, Fig. 5.

It is obvious that accurate adjustment of the surcingle can be obtained to suit the individual cow by geason of the adjustability of clamp 9 upon strap 8,

Further, it is to be understood that we have provided means in a surcingle for facilitating the release of the surcingle from its adjusted position, Fig. 1, when it is desired.

While we have described the preferredembodiment of the invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and we, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a surcingle of the class described, the combination of a spanning rod, a strap and means pivotally connecting said strap to said spanning rod, said strap provided with an integral tubing, a stiff coiled wire tubing within said first-mentioned'tubing, a single wire extending through said coiled wire tubing and projecting beyond the ends of said coiled wire tubing, said spanning rod provided with an upstanding lug, the inner end of said single wire being connected to said upstanding lug, said strap provided intermediate its ends with a hand lever device, the outer end of said single wire being connected to said hand lever device, a clamping device on said strap near its outer end, and means detachably connecting the outer end of said spanning rod to said clamping device.

2. In a surcingle of the class described, the combination of a spanning rod, a strap, and means conmeeting said strap to said spanning rod, said strap being provided intermediate its ends with a plate, said plate provided with an angle bracket, a coiled wire tubing extending through said bracket; a single wire in said wire tubing having one end connected to said rod, 21 hand lever pivotally mounted on said plate under said angle bracket, said single wire being connected to said hand lever, a clamping means on said strap below said hand lever, and means connecting said clamping means to said spanning rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 139,524 Straus June 3, 1873 (Other references on following page) 3 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS 23%, glcelilnsicn Rec. 13, 1910 543,868 Hillman et a1. Aug. 6, 1895 I 1 9 4 663,573 Jacobsen Dec. 11, 1900 f? g 784,694 Ljungstrom Mar. 14, 1905 2558'346 son "J 6C 1951 829,776 Gonce Aug. 28, 1906 1 mesa 1 878,058 Groff Feb. 4, 1908 

